How to have keyboard Multimedia and Fn keys enabled at the same time
The Dell Studio 1555 does not have dedicated multimedia keys. Instead, they are integrated with the function keys. So you can either have the “Multimedia keys first” option, or the “Function keys first” option enabled. But not both at the same time.
I wrote this little Autohotkey script to remap and split the Fn-Multimedia keys so that F1 to F6 keys are “Function key first” and F7 to F12 (which I hardly ever use) are “Multimedia keys first”. So I can now use the F5 key to refresh and F7 to mute master volume, without the pesky “Fn+F7” combination ever coming into the picture.
Note: Make sure you have the Function key first option enabled in order to use this utility. I discussed how to change it in the BIOS here.
There’s two ways you can implement this solution.
Solution 1:
Download the Fn Key ReMapper tool. You will not have to install Autohotkey for this to work. There is no installation, just download it somewhere and double click.
Download Fn Key ReMapper.exe (675KB)
Solution 2:
- Download and install Autohotkey.
- Download the Fn-key-remapper.ahk script archive. (Right-click, Save target as)
- Extract the archive and double click on the ahk script.
- Done.
Uninstallation:
Uncheck the StartUp with Windows option and delete the utility. That’s it!
If you have any problems using it or have any suggestions to improve the utility please do post a comment. :)
- Dell Studio 1555 Keyboard’s dedicated multimedia keys not working with Winamp
- How to change Fn key behavior in Dell Studio 1555
- Dell Studio 1555 Numpad Solution with AutoHotKey
- HotKeyz – Your own keyboard shortcuts for almost everything
April 14, 2010 - 7:52 pm
Thanks a lot . That’s a great idea ! (^_^)/
June 5, 2010 - 9:31 am
YES!! Thank you very much! I have been looking for ages for a solution to this problem. This is EXACTLY what I needed. I’m just going to keep the app running so the keys stay that way. Again, thanks a billion.
I’m not trying to take all the credit, but with windows 7, I can’t even change the default values for my keys. Hey, I’m a PC and this was not my idea.
July 19, 2010 - 1:01 am
Sorry for the delayed response. I hope the utility’s working out fine for you. :D I did not quite get you when you said you are not able to change the default values of the keys. :’( If the problem’s still not fixed for you, do explain a bit I might just be able to help you out. :)
-Sid
July 19, 2010 - 12:03 am
Hi!
I’m using the numpad solution on my S1555 and I love it.
Now I think this program should work wonders too, I’m always turning off my wireless because I want to press F2 to rename a file. The problem is… the download link is dead. Can you fix it please?
July 19, 2010 - 12:59 am
Hi Ericko, Really glad that you find the utilities useful. I’m sorry about the broken download links, I’ve fixed both of them. Try it and do drop by and give me your feedback. :) :)
July 19, 2010 - 1:42 am
It works great!!!
I’m thinking on using the utilities on my sister’s Inspiron 1445. I hope it works.
Our first language is spanish, so we use these characters quite a lot:
á é í ó ú ñ Ñ
Our keyboards are in english and without your app it was a real nightmare to have to use those characters.
Thank you very much!
July 19, 2010 - 3:11 am
I’m glad to be of help. :D I haven’t tried it on an Inspiron, but I think it will work just fine on it. :)
July 19, 2010 - 3:49 am
I’ll let you know as soon as I try it. Right now it is being fixed at Best Buy.
August 18, 2010 - 8:46 am
It works fine in my sis’ Inspiron, we both thank you very much!
December 9, 2010 - 7:39 am
Amazing! I still wished Dell didn’t removed the touch sensitive media buttons though. I can finally F5 with this, without compromising the media keys!
December 10, 2010 - 12:50 am
Glad you find this useful. :D I always have it running. Can’t use my laptop without it. :)
January 13, 2011 - 7:55 am
This is great! It even works on my Dell XPS 15.
Could you post what the key codes (vk/sc) are for F1 through F6? They’re not listed in your script and I’d like to edit those keys myself as their functionality is a little different on this new XPS line. F6 toggles the backlit keyboard, I’d like to mess around with that functionality.
January 27, 2011 - 2:07 am
Hi MaxGhost, Glad to know that you like the utility. Sorry for the delay in responding. :’( Been kinda busy with work lately. Here’s the scan codes for F1 to F6 on my laptop:
vk50sc019 F1
vkFFsc108 F2
vkFFsc107 F3
vkFFsc105 F4
vkFFsc106 F5
vkFFsc10C F6
Hope this helps. :)
-Sid
January 27, 2011 - 2:15 am
Hey MaxGhost,
Just to be clear, these are the scan codes for the special functions that keys from f1 to f6 perform, and not the scan codes of the function keys themselves. Do let me know how it works out for you. :)
-Sid
January 27, 2011 - 2:08 am
Thanks a lot for this! :D
January 27, 2011 - 2:10 am
Glad to be of help. :)
March 14, 2011 - 2:36 am
tyvm :D
this is awesome
March 17, 2011 - 8:21 pm
Glad it works well for you. :)
May 13, 2011 - 12:45 am
Genious, thank you so much :D
July 3, 2011 - 9:05 pm
Hey thanks a ton!!! I was searching this like forever :D
July 19, 2011 - 8:41 pm
Glad to know you find the utility of use :) And thanks for the comment Anjali.
September 24, 2011 - 8:13 pm
Hi, I’m using Dell Studio 1555 as well and I found this very useful.
One problem:
When I press the “adjust the Volume Up” once, it will increase 4% or insane higher, just can’t control accurately. (Need to press once rapidly)
For “multimedia keys” (and function key also?), can you add some delay or make them work like
“holding = one press” (if want to increase/action more, press repeatedly instead of holding).
Example:
Press one time = Volume +2% = Holding the button
Press two times = Volume +4%
Thanks in advance.
October 5, 2011 - 10:47 am
Hello NZero,
First of all thank you for using the utility. :)
I have been aware of the problem that you are facing. In fact, I knew of this problem the first time I wrote the utility almost 2 years ago. :) The sad thing is that there is no concrete solution to it. But there is a workaround that I use. ;)
The problem of volume getting turned all the way up is ONLY when you “tap” the volume up key.
When you press a key down, a KEY DOWN event is triggered, and when you release the key – a KEY UP event is triggered.
The script tries to perform different tasks on KEY DOWN and KEY UP events. But when you tap the key, sometimes the KEY UP event is not captured properly which makes the script think that the key is still pressed. That’s why the volume keeps getting increased till the maximum volume is reached.
The workaround is to avoid “tapping” the key to turn up/down the volume. Instead, just hold it a wee bit longer (just make sure it’s atleast 40 milli seconds and you’ll be fine :D) so that the KEY UP event is also captured by Autohotkey.
Please do let me know if my reply is useful at all.
Regards,
Sid
October 6, 2011 - 6:28 pm
Thanks for reply (I have been checking this page daily for looking any reply).
Well, I guess it’s useful. :-)
I downloaded the Fn-key-remapper.ahk file, change “Sleep, 40″ to “Sleep, 160″, and compiled it with “C:\Program Files (x86)\AutoHotkey\Compiler\Ahk2Exe.exe”
I just wonder how do you compress the exe to 467KB rather than 1038KB (compile by me)???
October 7, 2011 - 11:13 am
I’m really sorry NZero for the delayed response. My day job doesn’t let me have too much spare time.
Does it work after compiling with Sleep 160 instead of Sleep 40?
I did no special thing to compress the final exe. I will check again though after I get home today and will get back to you. :)
Thanks for using the utility. :D
October 7, 2011 - 5:08 pm
Never mind, it’s okay. ;)
Yes sir, it’s better now. Works like the default ( Fn + ( F8/F9 ) ). No insanely decrease/increase the volume anymore.
Don’t worry about my question, I just wondering the size.
Well, thanks for build and share this utility.
Set the “StartUp with Windows” on. :-)
October 17, 2011 - 1:48 am
Thanks a lot for the feedback NZero :) I wrote this utility a loooong time back. :) Do not really remember what I did that made the exe so small in size. :’( But I’m glad it is useful to you. :D
-Sid
October 14, 2011 - 1:19 pm
Hey Sid, thank you so much for this tool, i really love it, but there is one thing i still need your help with.
beside the keys from F7 to F12 i also use F2&F3 but i don’t know how to add them to the script,
if it isn’t too much work for you, can you reply please with the lines i should add to the script to make
them work.
thanks in advance, and i congratulate you on this incredible tool.
October 15, 2011 - 1:03 pm
sorry, i forgot to mention that those are the brightness keys which require extra lines
for the holding button option.
thanks again for this amazing tool and take your time in replying.
October 17, 2011 - 1:46 am
Hello Qusai,
Thank you for giving the utility a try. :) Are you using a Dell laptop?
Let me know if I understood your problem correctly. After you use the utility, F2 and F3 still work are multimedia first buttons (meaning they change the brightness instead of acting as F2 and F3)?
-Sid
October 21, 2011 - 5:18 am
Sorry for the delay in replying and thanks for doing so,
no i’m not using dell, i’m using HP.
as for my problem it’s actually not A problem, i just want to use F2&F3 as multimedia buttons
not function buttons which act as brightness buttons ( the way you did for the volume up and down ),
as for what i need from you, just the lines to add to the script to make f2&f3 change the brightness
without the need for holding Fn button
so in other words, it’s the other way around of what you understood ;)
thanks again Sid.
December 6, 2011 - 7:58 pm
Awesome utility thanks alot!!
I have a question though, i am using it for dell xps and i had to edit the script slightly because the keys don’t match.
I am using the second method right now and i want it to start on startup so i moved both the autohotkey and icon
to startup folder. But when i start windows the icon opens with windows media player and i have to close it manually
Is there a way to make it start on startup but just go straight to tray.
Thanks alot!